Draft Statement of Work with Technical Specifications.pdf

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REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

Library of Congress

NATIONAL AUDIO VISUAL CONSERVATION CENTER (NAVCC)

ENCODER SYSTEM

1.0 Introduction

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes – it does not constitute a request for proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. This RFI does not commit the U.S. Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. Further, the Library of Congress (“The Library”) is not at this time seeking proposals and will not accept unsolicited proposals. Respondents are advised that the Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI;

all costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party’s expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP, if any is issued. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on the beta.sam.gov website. It is the responsibility of the potential offerors to monitor this site for additional information pertaining to this requirement.

The National Audio Visual Conservation Center (NAVCC) unit of the Library acquires, preserves, and provides access to the world’s largest collection of films, television and radio broadcasts, videos, and sound recordings. The NAVCC is a state-of-the-art audiovisual preservation & digitization facility on the Packard Campus in Culpeper, VA. The campus contains a 415,000 square foot facility, which houses an audiovisual digitization laboratory, a film preservation laboratory, physical storage for all types of audio-visual media (including vaults for nitrate film), multi-petabyte-capacity data center for storage of digital files, screening and listening rooms, a large theater, an audio listening theater, and work space to support the Center’s programs and operations.

Section 2 identifies the project objective underlying this RFI. Section 3 outlines what we want to obtain from each respondent in order to enhance our market research. Section 4 describes the process and requirements for file submission. Sections 5 through 8 outline respectively: NAVCC’s file format definitions for archive and viewing files; our encoding workflows; additional technical capabilities of the system sought; and optional features we may consider.

2.0 Project Objective

The NAVCC currently has fifty-two encoders with the capabilities listed in this document. We are planning to replace all of the current encoding systems beginning early as January 2023 and continuing over multiple successive years. A detailed replacement schedule has not yet been determined.

3.0 Market Research Objectives

3.1 The NAVCC seeks to ascertain feature sets of commercially available encoding platforms that will support NAVCC file creation specifications and required interface specifications while integrating with existing signal source, post-production processing, and file workflow systems including QC and file ingestion systems.

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3.2 The NAVCC also seeks to ascertain any current or forthcoming commercially available features that may enhance capability and performance of our systems and workflows.

3.3 The NAVCC seeks price guidance for the equipment a vendor may specify in response to this RFI. We want to see:

3.3.1 A detailed price list for specific hardware and software components, plus any functional value-added options the vendor may wish to present.

3.3.2 Information about special pricing, quantity discounts or prompt payment discounts that may be available.

3.3.3 Pricing and features of support contracts that may be available after the initial warranty period should a purchase occur.

3.4 In addition to general marketing, technical, and price materials, the NAVCC seeks a testable set of encoded files conforming to our archive file format (AFF) and our viewing file format (VFF), Section 5. Files should be produced by vendor hardware and software matching what would be purchased if such a purchase were to occur. The file submission process is outlined in Section 4.

4.0 File Submission

Respondents shall submit marketing, technical, and price information to the Contracting Officer (James Robinson at jaronbinson@loc.gov) and Contract Specialist (Estefania Sinay at epacheco@loc.gov) via e-mail.

Respondents shall send encoder sample files via the Library’s Media Shuttle upload page, a Signiant transfer web page. Respondents may need to download the Signiant app to their computer from https://loc.mediashuttle.com/. Once installed, attach the files and enter jsny@loc.gov and miper@loc.gov as recipients. The system will generate an e-mail confirmation when the files are uploaded by the sender and downloaded by the recipient.

The AFF shall be no less than five minutes in length and include all of the required content specified in the attached file definition, including closed captions and timecode. Vendor may provide more than one example at their discretion showing the different resolutions and frame rates specified in this document.

The VFF shall be no less than five minutes in length and include all of the required content specified in the attached file definition, including closed captions and timecode. Vendor may provide more than one example at their discretion showing the different resolutions and frame rates specified in this document.

5.0 NAVCC File Format Definitions

5.1 Archive File Format (AFF) is defined as:

5.1.1 Video parameters

5.1.1.1 Video CODEC: ISO/IEC 15444: JPEG2000 reversible 5/3

(Mathematically Lossless)

5.1.1.1.1 KLV: one (1) KLV per frame;

mailto:jaronbinson@loc.gov mailto:epacheco@loc.gov https://loc.mediashuttle.com/ mailto:jsny@loc.gov mailto:miper@loc.gov

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5.1.1.1.1.1 For interlace images: odd field shall be encoded

first, two fields per frame, one KLV per frame

5.1.1.1.1.2 KLV must be able to expand beyond 3 bits for

higher resolution moving image sequences

5.1.1.1.2 JPEG2000 progression order: LRCP

5.1.1.1.3 Tile: one per frame

5.1.1.2 Color components: shall match source image color components

5.1.1.2.1 RGB or YCbCr are required

5.1.1.2.2 XYZ and other color components optional

5.1.1.3 Color spaces: (encoding from SDI input must match input SDI video parameter, even if the parameter is incorrectly set for specified resolution)

5.1.1.3.1 ITU-R Rec. 601 (SD resolutions)

5.1.1.3.2 ITU-R Rec. 709 (HD resolutions 720 & 1080)

5.1.1.3.3 ITU-R BT.2020 (UHD resolutions)

5.1.1.3.4 SMPTE RGB

5.1.1.4 Bit depths: 8, 10, 12 & 16 bits per color channels

5.1.1.4.1 If encoding from analog input, digitized video bit depth must be no less than 10 bits per color channel

5.1.1.4.2 Encoding from the SDI input must match input SDI video bit depth parameter

5.1.1.5 Frame rate: must match input video parameter

5.1.1.5.1 23.98 to 60.00 including 1/1.001 (“NTSC”) fractional frame rates

5.1.1.6 Scanning type: both interlace & progressive capable; must match input video parameter

5.1.1.7 Resolutions: 720x480 to 4096x2160 (must match input video parameter)

5.1.1.7.1 option of UHD-2 (“8K”, 7680 x 4320)

5.1.1.8 AFD (Automated Format Description; SMPTE 2016): Based on image content type

5.1.1.8.1 For video with an AFD value set, the default option shall use the value carried in the encoded video

5.1.1.8.2 For video with AFD values existing in the input the value encoded shall be user settable even if it doesn’t match the input setting

5.1.1.8.3 For video WITHOUT AFD values existing in the input, the value encoded shall be user settable. The default

4 | P a g e value will be the default for the input raster aspect ratio defined in the SMPTE standard for that resolution

5.1.2 Audio parameters

5.1.2.1 PCM sampled

5.1.2.2 48kHz, 24bit minimum; 96kHz 24bit preferred

5.1.2.3 Audio channels:

5.1.2.3.1 0 to 16 channels required

5.1.2.3.2 option of 17-64 channels

5.1.2.3.3 Ability to create audio channels with digital silence in them in increments of 1 channel from 1 to 16 channels, with an option of up to 64 channels

5.1.2.3.4 Encoder shall label each audio channel with SMPTE

Language Metadata Table (LMT) standard language tags.

5.1.2.3.4.1 The default shall be “English”

5.1.2.3.4.2 Other languages shall be user settable for each

encoding session

5.1.2.3.4.3 Each audio channel shall be able to independently set LMT values for each channel individually

5.1.2.4 Audio wrapping shall comply with BWF RF64

5.1.3 File wrapper: MXF OP1a (SMPTE 377, 378; RDD48 compliant)

5.1.3.1 Header: Closed/Complete

5.1.4 Timecodes:

5.1.4.1 Must meet SMPTE RDD48 requirements for simultaneous recording of multiple timecode inputs

5.1.4.2 SMPTE 12M-2019 in MXF TC track

5.1.4.3 IRIG-B in MXF TC track

5.2 Viewing File Format (VFF)

5.2.1 Video parameters

5.2.1.1 Video codec: H.264

5.2.1.2 Resolution: same as source material

5.2.1.3 Frame rate: same as source material

5.2.1.4 Color space: MPEG-4 YCbCr

5.2.2 Audio parameters

5.2.2.1 MPEG audio coding

5.2.2.2 48 kHz sampling, variable bitrate

5.2.3 Included Metadata

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5.2.3.1 FCC Timed Text audio captions shall be included matching the captions in original source material and the Archive File Format

6.0 Encoding Workflows

6.1 General: Encoders must be able to produce the Archive File Format and the Viewing File Format during the same production time period. All encoders must work in real time with no post-processing time required. Archive files must be SMPTE RDD48 compliant.

6.2 Videotape digitization workflows

6.2.1 All videotape formats, with the option of using an outboard TBC (to be classified) of NAVCC’s choosing:

6.2.1.1 Analog & digital standard definition 525 line 29.97 fps source material from VTR and test signal generators

6.2.1.2 Analog & digital standard definition 625 line 25 fps source material from videotape and test signal generators

6.2.1.3 Analog high definition 1125 line 30 fps (commonly referred to as “1035i”) source material from videotape and test signal generators

6.2.1.4 Digital HDTV 720p59.94 source materials from videotape, live video feeds and test signal generators.

6.2.1.5 Digital HDTV 1080i29.97 source materials from videotape, live video feeds and test signal generators.

6.2.1.6 Digital SD & HD p24 & p23.98 source materials from videotape, live video feeds and test signal generators.

6.2.1.7 Digital SD & HD 24pSF & 23.98pSF source materials from videotape shall be encoded as non-segmented frame essences

6.2.2 Digitization workflow requirements:

6.2.2.1 Playback device workflow: Encoders must control videotape recorders used for videotape playback using the RS-422 protocol.

Example VTRs used at NAVCC that must be controlled via RS-422 protocol are Sony Type V (VO-5000 series), Type VII (VO-7000 series) and Type IX (VO-9000 series) Umatic, plus all models of MII, Betacam series (Betacam, Betacam SP, Digibeta, BetaSX, HDCAM and HDCAM-SR series); 1” Type C from Sony, Ampex and Hitachi;

DVCPRO, DVCPRO-50, DVCPRO-HD and HDLP model VCRs, D5 and HD-D5 VCRs, D1; D2; D3, D7 (“Digital-S”); and D10.

6.2.2.2 Robotic workflow requirements: In addition to the playback device workflows, a robotic workflow exists:

6.2.2.2.1 Encoders must be able to communicate with Indelt

(branded as SAMMA) robots. Integration and communication with Indelt robots shall incur no additional costs to the Library.

6.2.2.2.2 Encoders must communicate with existing Prepcart

system to receive metadata from the NAVCC collections

6 | P a g e management system (currently called “MAVIS”) and report required data back to Prepcart to update collections management system records to reflect digital assets created. Integration and communication with Prepcart functionality shall incur no additional costs to the Library.

6.3 Live video encoding workflow

6.3.1 Encoding requirements:

6.3.1.1 Encoder must be able to produce both the Archive File Format and the Preservation File Format as part of the same production process in real time.

6.3.1.2 Encoder must be able to chunk live programs in 1, 2 4 and 8 hour chunks. Encoding of new files must continue as the old file is being completed with no missed frames, audio, timecode or metadata.

6.3.2 Video encoding requirements

6.3.2.1 Analog & digital standard definition 525 line 29.97 & 30.00 fps source material from live video feeds and test signal generators

6.3.2.2 Analog & digital standard definition 625 line 25 fps source material from live video feeds and test signal generators

6.3.2.3 Analog high definition 1125 line 30 fps source material from live video feeds and test signal generators

6.3.2.4 Digital HDTV 720p59.94 and 60.00 source materials from live video feeds and test signal generators.

6.3.2.5 Digital HDTV 1080i29.97 and 30.00 source materials from live video feeds and test signal generators.

6.3.2.6 Digital SD & HD p24 & p23.98 source materials from live video feeds and test signal generators.

6.3.3 Optional video encoding types

6.3.3.1 1080p59.94 and 1080p60.00 source materials and test signal generator signals

6.3.3.2 UHD-1 (“4k”) resolution transmissions at all frame rates included in the standard

6.3.3.3 UHD-2 (“8k”) resolution transmissions at all frame rates included in the standard

6.4 General digitization workflow requirements:

Templates, profiles or other mechanism for saving specific encoding parameters for future setups. Such parameters shall be exportable as an XML document as a record of the parameters used for a specific encoding session. Templates, profiles or other mechanisms for saving specific parameters for future setups shall be savable for future use.

6.5 Other signals required for encoding

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6.5.1 Closed captions: all video containing closed captions, whether originated from analog or digital sources, shall have those captions encoded into the ST 436 space in the AFF MXF header, and in the TimedText location specified in the FCC TimedText standard.

6.5.2 Time Code: encoders shall be capable of no less than five (5) time codes, encoded as five (5) MXF timecode tracks in the AFF, and a choice of the five

(5) that shall be encoded as the timecode track in the MP4 VFF. Timecode from videotape sources must include both LTC (Linear Time Code) and VITC (Vertical Interval Time Code) sources as separate tracks, plus up to two

(2) additional external timecode sources, plus one timecode source generated by the encoder itself as a master reference timecode in SMPTE 12M format.

See SMPTE RDD48 specification for further information.

6.6 Playback requirements:

6.6.1 Encoding systems must be capable of playing the files they create both as video playback on the workstation desktop and as SDI outputs from the encoder capable of being reproduced by a standards-compliant SDI-capable monitor up to the resolutions the encoder is capable of encoding.

6.6.2 Encoding system playback software must be able to play back JPEG2000/MXF files to the specifications the encoder itself is capable of encoding from other encoding systems, including legacy systems used by NAVCC such as SAMMA, OpenCube and Clipster.

7.0 Additional Technical Capabilities and Features Required

Following are the technical capabilities beyond those listed in the preceding section:

7.1 Ability to produce and validate SHA-1 and MD5 checksums of each of the output files.

7.1.1 Option of creating and validating SHA-256, SHA-512 checksums of each of the output files

7.2 User Interface Requirements

7.2.1 Single host web login for all nodes of the system.

7.2.2 Ability to mount, read from and write to external SMB and NFS-protocol network attached storage.

7.2.3 Automated drop box pickup and delivery.

7.2.4 Active Directory compatible. 4.3.5 - No internet connection necessary for operation (isolated VLAN network operation).

7.2.5 Must be able to operate with a static IP address of the Library’s choosing.

7.2.6 Must allow remote desktop connectivity (Windows RDP).

7.2.7 Must be able to connect via remote KVM systems such as Avocent/Vertiv.

7.2.8 Ability to mount, read from and write to external FibreChannel devices.

Current StorNext version compatibility required.

7.3 Hardware Requirements

7.3.1 SDI interfaces

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7.3.1.1 One per encode channel video input

7.3.1.2 One per encode channel video output

7.3.2 Server video connectivity: no less than one of these connection types: VGA, DVI-I and/or DisplayPort

7.3.3 USB ports: no less than two per server USB 3.0 or higher

7.3.4 208v and 110v power capable.

7.3.5 Dual power supplies required. Units shall be capable of maintaining full operation on a single power supply. Power supplies shall be hot-swappable.

7.3.6 10 Gb network connectivity. More than one connection as an option.

7.3.7 Rack-mountable (round screw holes, not square locking holes) or adaptable with supplied hardware.

7.3.8 Compatibility with FibreChannel 16 interfaces for SAN data storage.

7.4 Required output file formats

7.4.1 Archive File Format (AFF) specification as noted in section 6.0

7.4.2 Viewing File Format (VFF) specification as noted in section 6.0

7.4.3 Common production file formats

7.4.3.1 Pro-Res in MOV

7.4.3.1.1 Pro-Res 422

7.4.3.1.2 Pro-Res 444

7.4.3.2 Avid DNx family

7.4.3.3 MXF AS-11

7.4.3.4 MXF AS-02

7.4.4 Uncompressed video in these wrappers

7.4.4.1 MXF OP1a

7.4.4.2 MOV

7.4.4.3 AVI

7.4.4.4 MKV (“Matroska”)

7.4.4.5 IMF family of file definitions, including the ACES, DPP and NABA types.

7.5 UPS & Auto shutdown functionality requirements

7.5.1 All servers that operate in the NAVCC environment must be able to run the APC UPS application and be able to shut down as configured by the APC app when a companion UPS (Uninterruptable Power Supply) system communicates that mains power has been lost for a specified period of time.

8.0 Optional features desired

8.1 Output essence coding: FFv1 as specified in SMPTE RDD48:2021 in these wrappers:

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8.1.1 MXF OP1a

8.1.2 MKV (“Matroska”)

8.2 Transcoding: If the vendor’s system offers transcoding options, these shall be explored and possibly tested with each vendor on a case-by-case basis. A separate requirements document and example test plan is available should a vendor wish to explore this option.